Electromagnetic set-up device for a selective perforator



Oct. 8, 1963 D. w. HUBBARD ETAL 3,106,339

ELECTROMAGNETIC sET-uP- DE ICE FOR A SELECTIVE PERFORATOR Filed Dec. 27, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 i ayfljmw ATTORNEY w(kt- 8, 1963 I D. w. HUBBARD ETAL 3,106,339 ELECTROMAGNETIC SET-UP DEVICE FOR A SELECTIVE PERFORATOR Fi-led Dec. 27, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 6 0 5 E 95 4 1 7. Z \k I u, 6

INVENTORS. 0.4 V/O iV H0584 RD SYZI ESZ'EE H l/PPA E'uuuunununutr,

MIIIIIIIIIII 3,106,339 ELECTROMAGNETIC SET-UP DEVICE FOR A SELECTIVE PERFQRATOR David W. Hubbard, Stamford, and Sylvester H. Lippa,

Rowayton, Conn., assignors to Sperry Rand Corporation, New York, N .Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 27, 19 51, Ser. No. 162,481

8 Claims. (Ql. 234-115) This invention relates generally to electromagnetic control devices employing a plurality of coils for converting electrical impulses to corresponding mechanical representations, the invention relating more particularly to a set-up mechanism electromagnetically controlled and employed in conjunction with means for recording data on a data recording medium. V

The invention as shown herein is an embodiment adapted for controlling the punches of a business machine operable on tabulating cards wherein information is recorded in a card by perforations at predetermined positions of the card. Tabulating cards now in common usage contain up to .960 information receiving areas, i.e., index positions, within an overall dimension of 7% x 3% inches, and in business machines designed for gang punching of a card the individual punches must be arranged in a pattern corresponding to that of the index positions which leaves very little spacing between the punches for associated set-up mechanism. 7

The energy required for driving the individual punches through a card may be derived from a mechanically driven member operating through individual interposers moved into and out of association with the individual punches by electromagnetic actuator means which includes :a coil and armature for each individual punch. Due to the small spacing between the several punches, prior art devices of this class have resorted to provision of mechanical linkages between the several interposers and theirrespective controlling actuators, but due to the great number of separate linkages which are required for a tabulating card gang punch such as abovementioned, the amount of space required for such linkages has always presented a machine design problem. Furthermore, in addition to presenting a space problem, the use of extensive linkage systems adds substantially tothe cost ofa set-up mechanism by greatly increasing the number of parts required and also necessitating the use of larger and stronger actuator magnets with correspondingly greater power drain than otherwise would be required if the linkages could be minimized or avoided, due to the load on each magnet represented by the linkage itself.

The punch set-up mechanism according to the present invention avoids the abovementioned disadvantages of prior devices by mounting the punch controlling actuators in such a manner as to enable the magnet armatures to serve as the punch interposers. By utilizing miniaits States atent ture electromagnets it has been found possible to mount V each magnet so that its armature lies in alignment with its corresponding punch, and the use of miniature electromagnets in this manner is made possible since the load on each magnet has been substantially, eliminated. In the disclosed adaptation, the magnets are arranged in tiers within a laminated structure, each tier being oil set from the other to permit the magnet armatures to align with adjacent punches, t'he laminations of the magnet supporting assembly including printed circuitry whereby the coils of the respective magnets may be connected to external control circuits.

It is therefore an object of this invention to improve onmeans 'for setting up the punch elements of a gang operated punch mechanism.

" areas-us EC Patented Oct. 8, 19%.?

Another object of the invention is to provide an electromagnetic set-up mechanism requiring a minimum of power. 7

'It is a further object of this invention to simplify and reduce the number of parts heretofore required for setting up an e-lectromagnetically controlled gang punch mechamsm.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a set-up mechanism for an electromagnetical'ly controlled gang punch device which is of simplified design, economical to manufacture and reliable in operation.

Further objects of the invention together with the features contributing thereto and advantages accruing therefrom will be apparent from the following description when read in conjunction with the drawing wherein,

FIG. 1 is a front elevation partly broken away, of the gang punch section of a business machine showing the electromagnetic set-up mechanism of the instant invention associated therewith;

7 FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the mechanism of FIG. 1.

FIG 3 is an enlarged sectional view through the set-up mechanism taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a modified version of the set-up mechanism. I

FIG. 5 is a perspective of one of the electromagnetic actuators employed in the set-up mechanism.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show the general features of a tabulating card punch mechanism of the type with which the invention may be employed. The mechanism includes a card punch chamber formed by a punch die plate 11 and a card stripper plate 12 spaced apart to accommodate a card fed therebetween, said plates being suitably secured to a reciprocating framework by which the card is raised and lowered during the course of a punching cycle to cause the card to be perforated in a manner hereinafter described.

The card chamber supporting framework includes at each end thereof an upright plate 1-3 which is slide fitted to stationary upright guides 14, said plates being cut away to accommodate a transversely extending cam shaft 15. Said shaft carries complementary cams 16, 17 cooperating with follower rollers 18, 19, respectively, which are suitably mounted on each plate 13 whereby each revolution of the shaft 15, driven from a suitable energy source not shown, operates to vertically reciprocate the punch chamber.

Disposed above the stripper plate 12 is a punch supporting framework section which reciprocates with the mechanism just described and comprises a punch guide plate 21 suitably secured to transverse bars 22 to form with the stripper plate 112 an open box like section for housing punches 25, which are guided for vertical movement within the housing by openings formed in the strip per plate 12 and guide openings aligned therewith and formed in the guide plate 21. 1

It will, of course, be-understood that an individual punch 25 is provided for each card index position which in the present instance consists of nine hundred and sixty punches arranged in twelve rows of eighty punches each. As can be best seen in FIG. 3, showing punches 25 in relation to a card 39* at the limits of its reciprocating movement, each punch is formed with a rectangular beveled cutting edge 26, a stern portion 27, and a cut away section 28 for accommodating transverse stationary stripper bars 29' for limiting the downward movement of the punches and cooperating with the'plate 12 to strip the card from a punch which has perforated the card. Cards are fed into the punch chamber by feed rolls 31, 32 when the card chamber is at its lower level of movement, the card being conveyed into the punch chamber and up to a card stop 33 by pairs of skid rollers 3435 engaging the side edges of a card, the lower roll 34 of each pair being the driving roll and mounted independent of the reciprocating framework, heretofore described, the upper roll 35 of each pair being a spring biased pressure roller and suitably mounted on the reciprocating framework. After the card is fully fed into the card chamber and up against the stop 33, the cams 16 and 17 operate to raise and lower the punch chamber at which time the surface of the card is pressed against the cutting edges 26 of the punches 25 which may be selectively blocked by the set-up mechanism hereinafter to be described. Upon the rising of the card chamber, the punches which are blocked by the set-up mechanism pierce the card at the selected index position while the punches which are not blocked rise with the card. When the punch chamber returns to its lower limit of movement, the card stop 33 is operated in a well known manner whereupon the rollers 34, 35 become effective for ejecting the card to a pair of feed rolls 36, 37 which complete the withdrawal of the punched card from the punch chamber.

The set-up mechanism according to the invention comprises a laminated structure including a plurality of identically formed actuator mounting panels 41 held in stacked side by side alignment between end panels 42 by bolts 43 penetrating each panel of the stack and securing the assembly to transverse support bars 44 by which the assembly is suitably fastened rigidly to the frame of the machine. Each panel 41, which is formed of non-conductive material, preferably a plastic, house punch set-up actuators 45 arranged across three separate levels or tiers, the actuators mounted in one panel being associated with the punches 25 corresponding to one row of eighty card index positions.

The actuators 45, as can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 5, comprise a substantially cylindrical shaped shell 46 secured to a rectangular anchor block 47 formed with a cutout shaped to provide an armature pivot socket 48. Contained within the shell 46 is a coil 51 wound on a core 52 formed to provide a pole piece 53, each coil having terminal leads 54, 55. The armature 56 of each actuator is an inverted L shaped member pivotally supported in the socket 48 and suspended so as to rock against the bias of a restoring spring 57.

Each mounting panel 41 is cut away to form an individual and properly shaped seat for each element of the several actuator assemblies mounted therein including armatures 56 and springs 57, the actuators being arranged within each panel in three tiers or levels each horizontally off set from the other since the diameter of each actuator shell 46 is greater than the row-wise spacing between adjacent punches 25 as dictated by the rowwise spacing between index positions on the tabulating card.

It will be apparent that the cut away portion of each panel 41 for seating each individual armature 56 constitutes a vertical slot 58 in the panel 41 which slot also accommodates the stem portion 27 of the associated punch 25. The depth of the slot 58 is sufficient to accommodate the combined thickness of the punch stem portion 27 and that of armature 56 to allow clearance for reciprocation of a punch when the corresponding controlling armature 56 has not been actuated and is in its restored position. When the punches are in their lower-most position their stem portions extend to a point just beneath the lower edge of the associated armatures 56, and for this reason the punch stems 27 are of varying length, as can be best seen in FIG. 1, depending upon whether they are associated with an actuator of the lower, intermediate, or upper tier. The punch stems 27 are also guided to lie in the left hand area of the mounting panel slot 58, while the associated armatures 56 normally occupy, when nonactuated, the right hand area of the slot 58.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that each of the armatures 56 is so disposed and anchored to the assembly as to serve as an interposer for its associated punch 25, the armature acting to gag or block the rise of its associated punch when the actuator is energized thereby causing the punch to penetrate the card at a selected index position during the rise of the punch chamher, the armature when non-actuated allowing its associated punch to rise under influence of the card movement so as not to perforate the card.

FIG. 3 shows the punches 25 associated with three adjacent card index positions of a card column, each punch being in a different position. In FIG. 3 the actuator 45 for the right hand punch has been energized causing the armature to be interposed into the path of its respective punch stem 27 causing the punch to penetrate the card as the card reaches the upper limit of its reciprocable stroke, which is the position of card where shown in full lines in FIG. 3. The actuator for the middle punch shown in FIG. 3 has not been energized thereby permitting its armature to assume its restored position which provides clearance for the associated punched stem 27 which is raised by bearing contact with the card so as not to cause a card perforation. The left hand punch 25 in FIG. 3 is shown in broken lines in the position it would assume at the completion of a punching cycle when the card reaches its lower limit of reciprocable travel.

It will be apparent that whenever a punch 25 has penetrated a card during the rise of the punch chamber, on the lowering of the punch chamber the punch will be effectively stripped from the card by the stripper bar 29 limiting the downward travel of the punch before the card reaches its lower limit of movement. The stripper bars 29 are supported at each end thereof in U-shaped comb plates 61 suitably secured by bolts or the like to the end panels 42 of the punch actuator assembly.

Individual circuits to the respective actuators are provided through printed circuit means which, as can be seen in FIG. 3, includes a printed circuit card or sheet 62 abutting each of the actuator mounting panels 41, the circuit being printed on the surface of the sheet opposite from the surface engaging the associated panel 41. Each sheet is cut out in the area thereof adjacent the several actuators 45 so as to provide in effect a window around all of said actuators, the upper section of each sheet carrying vertically extending circuits 63 including one for each of the actuators mounted in the associated panel 41. The lower portion of each sheet contains a printed circuit 64 which is a common ground for all of the actuators mounted in the associated panel 41, each coil lead 54 being suitably secured by soldering or the like to a respective one of the individual circuits in the upper section of the Sheet 62, each coil lead 55 being secured to the common ground circuit printed on the lower section of the printed circuit sheet 62.

In order to assure complete insulation of the circuit associated with one panel 41 from the actuator mechanism of an adjoining panel, an insulating sheet 65 is disposed between the conducting surface of each printed circuit sheet 62 and the adjoining actuator mounting panel 41. Sheet 65 overlies the window area of the printed circuit sheet 62 so as to assure the avoidance of any contact between the coil leads 54, 55 of one actuator with the actuator armatures of the adjacent panel 41.

Any suitable means may be provided for connecting the conductive portions of printed circuit sheet 62 with a source with electrical current. In order to provide a convenient means for detachably connecting the several actuators to a current source through multi-contact plugging techniques, the upper portion of each panel 41 is formed with an upstanding shoulder 66 abutting against and backing up the upper border of the associated printed circuit sheet 62. Pressed against the conducting surface of each printed circuit sheet 62 is the lower border area of a detachab'ly mounted printed circuit panel 67 having that the conducting portions of both printed circuitmembers 67, 62 are in contact with one another so as to complete circuits them the panel member-67 to the several actuators 45. vIn order to assure a good electrical contact between the two printed circuit members, a curled over yieldablle blade 68 of spring steel or the like is secured to and extends along the bottom edge of each of the printed circuit members 67 in a position. wherein it lies within the channel formed between shoulders 66 of adjacent panels 41, the diameter of the curled around portion of said spring blade being slightly greater than the width of said channels causing the spring to become compressed and thereby exert pressure on the overlapping areas of the printed circuit members 67, 62 to insure a good electrical contact. It will be noted that one corner of each shoulder 66 is beveled oil to provide a camming surface to facilitate the insertion of the spring blade 68 into the said channel areas.

The several printed circuit members 67 are supported in a suitable laminated assembly in which they are separated by insulating panels 71, which assembly includes end panels 72 shaped to fit on top of the end panels 42 of the set-up actuator assembly and provided with suitable means such as bolts 73 for securing the two assemblies in fixed relation.

The individual conductors 69 formed on the printed circuit member 67 extend side by side in a vertical direction and may be individually connected to a current source by any suitable means such as by spring contact clips 70 connected to a current source and providing:

means for completing circuits from the source to the individual actuators 45 through the individual conducting portions of the printed circuit members 67, 62. Should it become necessary to disconnect the actuators from the current source for servicing or for any other reason, by removing the screws 73 theentire connector assembly containing printed circuit members167 can be raised and separated from the actuator mountingassembly to disconnect the several circuits to the actuators in a single unplugging step, with the plugging being accomplished simply by reverse procedure, thereby avoidingithe necescity for separately connecting and disconnecting the several circuits to the respective actuators.

In FIG. 4 there is shown a modification of the actuator set-up assembly which allows 'for greater tolerances in aligning each actuator with its respective punch and, further, simplifies machine construction by eliminating the need for fitting the several punch stems 27 into their respective grooves 0r slots 58. formed in the actuator support panels 41. As shown in FIG. 4, the lower portion of the slots 58 formed in each'panel 41 have been cut out to an increased depth such as at 74- to accommodate intermediate pins 75 slide fitted therein. In this embodiment of the invention, the upper stems 27 of the respeotive punches terminate-at a level below the actuator support panels 41 and at a point immediately and directly beneath the bottom edge of an associated pin 75. The upper portion of each pin 75' is of reduced thickness relative to the lower portion of the pin and is disposed to lie in the left hand side of [the actuator panelslot 58 so as to clear the associated armature 56 when non-actuated and to engage the armature when actuated in a manner Similar to that heretofore described in conjunction with the embodiment out FIG. 3. The lower portion of each pin 75 is guided by a comb plate 76 secured to the under side of each panel 41, and a compression spring 77 seated in each slot so as to bear on a horizontally extending lip 78 formed on each pin 75 yieldably retains each pin in its normal lowered position as shown in PEG. 4 wherein its top edge underlies the bottom edge of the associated armature 56. The modified form of the invention shown in FIG. 4 functions in the same manner as the embodiment of FIG. 3 to selectively set up the punch mechat5 nism and is considered a preferred embodiment for applications where it may be desired or necessary to occasionally dismantle the machine to the extent of separating the set-up mechanism from the punch mechanism for machine maintenance, servicing or other reasons.

It should be noted that in each of the embodiments, the

armatures are disposed in a substantially vertical plane thereby nullifying the elfect of gravitational forces thereon which permits actuation by smaller actuators than if the design did not avoid gravitational influences on the armatures. It will be apparent that the structural-design herein disclosed which makes possible the utilization of miniature size actuators, results in a set-up mechanism requiring a minimum number of parts and being of overall compact design, economical to manufacture and reliable in operation.

While there has been shown and described herein what are regarded as preferred embodiments of the invention, it will of course be obvious that changes in form could be made without departing from the inventive concept, and it is therefore intended that the invention be not limited to the exact forms herein shown and described, nor to anything less than the whole of the invention as hereinbefore set forth and as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed and desired to besecured by Letters Patent is:

l. A set-up mechanism for selectively controlling a record punching device comprised of a reciprocating punch chamber and a plurality of punches mounted in a framework reciprocating with said punch chamber and arranged in columns and rows corresponding to the column and rows of index positions on a record contained within said punch chamber, each said punch when ineitective reciprocating with said punch chamber under influence ofthe record 'withinsaid chamber and when effective being'longitudinally displaced within said framework to perforate the record Within said chamber, said set-up mechanism comprising a stationary support assembly containing an electromagnetic actuator for each of said punches, each actuator being provided' with a pivotal armature disposed for swinging movement into-and out of alignment with the axis of reciprocation of an associated punch, each said armature when moved into alignment with said axis being interposed between the associated punch and said assembly for displacing the associated punch within said framework to perforate the corresponding index position of the record within said punch chamber, said actuators .being'cornprised of cylindrical core elements having a diameter greater than the'spacing between said punches and arranged within said support in a three dimensional array formed of columns and rows within a plurality of tiers, the actuators within each tier being relatively offset relative to those in an adjacent tier to an extent corresponding to the spacing between adjacent punches within a row of punches, said support assembly comprising a plurality of identically formed panel members firmly held in stacked relation to each other including one associated with each row of punches for mounting the actuators associated with each punch o-f the associated row, each of said panels being formed with cutout portions defining individual seats for the actuators mounted in each panel,

3. The invention according to claim 2 wherein one surface of each of said panels is formed with a projecting portion backing up a border area of the printed circuit member of the associated panel and defining a channel between said projecting portion and the border area of the printed circuit member associated with the adjoining panel, and including detachable circuit connecting means comprised of a complementary printed circuit member for each of said panels having a border area disposed to lie in said channel in abutting relation to the border area of a corresponding one of said first mentioned printed circuit members, each of said complementary circuit members having secured thereto a yieldable element disposed to seat in comprwsed condition in said channel for exerting pressure against the abutting border areas of said first mentioned and complementary printed circuit members.

4. The invention according to claim 3 wherein each of said complementary circuit members are supported in stacked arrangement between the spacers of a unitary laminated connector assembly, each said complementary circuit member being spaced so as to register with its associated first mentioned printed circuit member, and including means for detachably securing said connector assembly to said actuator support assembly whereby the individual circuits to said actuators may be disconnected or connected simultaneously.

5. The invention according to claim 4 wherein the side of said projecting portion defining one wall of said channel is formed with an inclined portion providing a camming surface engageable by said yieldable blade member to compress said yieldable blade member when inserted in seated position within said channel.

6. A set-up mechanism for selectively controlling a ecord punching device comprised of a reciprocating punch chamber and a plurality of punches mounted in a framework reciprocating with said punch chamber and arranged in columns and rows corresponding to the column and rows of index positions on a record contained within said punch chamber, said punches being reciprocable With said punch chamber under influence of a record within said chamber and when effective being longitudinally displaced within said framework to perforate the record within said chamber, said set-up mechanism comprising a stationary support assembly disposed adjacent to and within the axis of reciprocation of said framework and formed of a plurality of actuator mounting panels including one for each row of punches, an electromagnetic actuator for each of said punches, the actuators for one row of punches being mounted within the associated one of said mounting panels in a plurality of tiers, the actuators within each tier being relatively off set from the actuators in an adjacent tier to an extent corresponding to the spacing Jetween adjacent punches within a row of punches, each of said panels being formed with individual cutout areas defining a seat for the actuators mounted within the panel, each actuator including a core member and an elongate pivotally supported armature having its free end disposed -for movement into the axis of reciprocation of the associated punch, the cut away portion of said panel efining a seat for each armature being in a form of a longitudinal slot extended to the exterior surface of said panel, each said slot being in register with a corresponding one of said punches, the free end of each said armature being swingable within said slot form an ineffective to eflective setting under the influence of its associated core and when inefiective providing clearance to enable the reciprocable movement of a punch with said punch chamber, and when effective serving to block the associated punch causing the punch to perforate the record within the punch chamber.

7. The invention according to claim 6 wherein each punch is formed with a stern portion slide fitted Within a corresponding one of said slots, the stern extremity being disposed for blocking engagement by the associated armature when in its elfective position to displace the punch within the said framework during reciprocation thereof and perforate the corresponding index position of a record in the punch chamber.

8. The invention according to claim 6 wherein said support assembly includes an intermediate pin member slide fitted within each of said slots and having one end disposed for engagement by an associated punch and its other end disposed for engagement by the associated armature when in its effective position to transmit the blocking resistance of each armature to its associated punch during the reciprocable movement of said punch supporting framework.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,918,123 Balde Dec. 22, 1959 3,951,376 Oldenburg et a1. Aug. 28, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 21,476 Germany June 27, 1961 

1. A SET-UP MECHANISM FOR SELECTIVELY CONTROLLING A RECORD PUNCHING DEVICE COMPRISED OF A RECIPROCATING PUNCH CHAMBER AND A PLURALITY OF PUNCHES MOUNTED IN A FRAMEWORK RECIPROCATING WITH SAID PUNCH CHAMBER AND ARRANGED IN COLUMNS AND ROWS CORRESPONDING TO THE COLUMN AND ROWS OF INDEX POSITIONS ON A RECORD CONTAINED WITHIN SAID PUNCH CHAMBER, EACH SAID PUNCH WHEN INEFFECTIVE RECIPROCATING WITH SAID PUNCH CHAMBER UNDER INFLUENCE OF THE RECORD WITHIN SAID CHAMBER AND WHEN EFFECTIVE BEING LONGITUDINALLY DISPLACED WITHIN SAID FRAMEWORK TO PERFORATE THE RECORD WITHIN SAID CHAMBER, SAID SET-UP MECHANISM COMPRISING A STATIONARY SUPPORT ASSEMBLY CONTAINING AN ELECTROMAGNETIC ACTUATOR FOR EACH OF SAID PUNCHES, EACH ACTUATOR BEING PROVIDED WITH A PIVOTAL ARMATURE DISPOSED FOR SWINGING MOVEMENT INTO AND OUT OF ALIGNMENT WITH THE AXIS OF RECIPROCATION OF AN ASSOCIATED PUNCH, EACH SAID ARMATURE WHEN MOVED INTO ALIGNMENT WITH SAID AXIS BEING INTERPOSED BETWEEN THE ASSOCIATED PUNCH AND SAID ASSEMBLY FOR DISPLACING THE ASSOCIATED PUNCH WITHIN SAID FRAMEWORK TO PERFORATE THE CORRESPONDING INDEX POSITION OF THE RECORD WITHIN SAID PUNCH CHAMBER, SAID ACTUATORS BEING COMPRISED OF CYLINDRICAL CORE ELEMENTS HAVING A DIAMETER GREATER THAN THE SPACING BETWEEN SAID PUNCHES AND ARRANGED WITHIN SAID SUPPORT IN A THREE DIMENSIONAL ARRAY FORMED OF COLUMNS AND ROWS WITHIN A PLURALITY OF 